


the hazards of house hunting

by thescyfychannel



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Childhood Friends, Just makeout already, Multi, RIFE WITH ROMANTIC TENSION
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-07 22:41:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11633436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thescyfychannel/pseuds/thescyfychannel
Summary: This is really not the best life choice you've ever made.The alternative, however, was highly likely to be the absoluteworst.





	the hazards of house hunting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [liasangria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/liasangria/gifts).



> "humanstuck au. established couple sollux and aradia find a lovely apartment that's juuust out of their price range, and so scramble to find a roommate or two to help with the cost.
> 
> the problem? there's only one bedroom."

After years and years of sharing your space—first with your sister, then with a roommate, then with _several_ roommates—you, Aradia Megido, were _more_ than ready to get some space to yourself. Or at least, some space with a roommate that you _wanted_.

The tiny suite you and Sollux had shared for the past two years was (sort of) a center of calm in the craziness of a five-person apartment. As much as it could be when you were sharing space with Karkat Vantas, Kanaya Maryam, and Tavros Nitram—and _occasionally_ Terezi Pyrope and Jade Harley and—basically, your apartment had turned into a bit _too_ much of a stopover point, in your humble opinion! It was time for the two of you to move out and find your _own_ space.

 

Which had led you here. A little café in the middle of downtown, big enough to be bustling, small enough to be comfy. The owner had expanded outside, but you and Sollux were tucked around a little table, warming yourselves with tea and coffee, a little plate of dessert (raspberry cheesecake) set between you—a gift from your first appointment, who you were _reasonably_ sure was trying to cozy up to the both of you.

  


See, that _own space_ had turned out to be an absolutely _perfect_ apartment in a _very_ nice neighborhood, with a lease agreement that even _Terezi_ approved of. You and Sollux had been sold the moment you set foot inside the place! It was a dream come true, it was _absolutely_ perfect, and honestly? You would do _anything_ to make it happen.

That first day, when you’d said those fateful words, a jinx upon _both_ your houses, Sollux took one look at the rent and winced. “Even live with roommates again, AA?”

Oh. Oh god.

 

“So, uhm—it’s a one bedroom apartment, but! We figured we could turn the dining area and the living room into bedrooms. The bathroom isn’t an ensuite, so everyone would have equal access to it. Same goes for the laundry room! The dining area is connected to the main door, but we can work around that, and it has better access to more closets, even if it has less floor space…” you trail off, as you realize that you’re rambling. It’s not your fault! This first interviewee looks like he’s walked straight off the set of some movie about Olympic swimmers.

Eridan Ampora glances down at the lease, then back up at the both of you through a fall of bangs—chocolate brown, lighter latte-colored streak in them, and from the way Sollux is staring you’re _pretty_ sure he wants to find out if it’s real as bad you do—with something that’s nearly a smile. “We can make it work. Sorta used to the barracks anyway, this’d be a sight more space than I’ve had in an age.”

The both of you nod. The tiny-almost-smile broadens, and he glances at the counter. “Be right back, sorry,” he tells you, and pushes out of his chair.

 

When he’s gone, you ssssslowly ease off of your death grip on Sollux’s hand. “So. Uhm.” you say, as eloquently as you can manage.

“Right.” He replies.

“...he was a lot less of a, how did Karkat put it when he recommended him? ‘Arrogant douchewaffle who thinks he’s gorgeous and he IS but fuck him but no actually don’t do that I’ll have nightmares ANYWAY he’s not that bad when you get to know him and ALSO he can pay the rent’, was it?”

Sollux runs his now-freed hand through his hair, biting down on his lip in that too-focused way you know he gets when he’s trying to solve a new puzzle. Or problem. Or deal with a raging—uh, headache!! Yup!! Focus!! “Yeah, uh. KK said he sort of calmed the fuck down after a few years of the military, didn’t he? I mean. I think I remember him saying that during one of his rants. Uh. He’s sort of.”

You nod in reply, stealing another glance over at Eridan, who’s retrieved the bathroom key and headed off down a little plant-lined hall. “...we’re going to have another discussion about polyamory, aren’t we. Is this going to be like the time Jade–”

“We don’t talk about that,” he immediately replies, sinking down lower in his chair. “And yes. Maybe. I don’t know. Probably.”

“Right.”

 

By silent agreement, the two of you start on the raspberry cheesecake. It’s delicious. Fuck.

 

Eridan’s back before you finish it. “Good, right? It’s one of my favorites here, actually.” He shifts in his seat, glancing back down at the table. “I, uh. I know I can be a tough roommate so I’m goin’ to warn you about that early. But I do think we could make it work, and I promise I can pay the rent on time. Just let me know what you decide?”

You and Sollux exchange a look. _I think we can say yes. KK’s going to kill us._

He looks up at you, rather hopefully, and you give him a reassuring smile, setting your hand down on the table. “I–”

Sollux cuts you off, his hand dropping on top of yours. “Pretty solid yes. Like we said, you’re going to have to share with someone else, so we can, uh—well, we have a couple more interviews, we’ll see if you get along with any of them?”

His face lights up, and oh gods, the both of you are so screwed. It’s going to be like every cheesy romcom ever. Oh no.

  
  


Hashing out the details gives you enough time to calm the four respective tits you have amongst yourselves, and by the time you’re done, Eridan’s doing that little almost-smile thing that makes your heart flip over. “So, uh—you’ll be in touch?”

“Definitely,” Sollux says, just a _little_ too quickly. You’d roll your eyes at him if it weren’t for the way Eridan’s almost-smile gets a little bit brighter and a lot less _almost_.

“Right then,” he says, standing up as he nudges his chair back, “I’ll see you soon–”

And he nearly bumps into a young woman with bright eyes and curly hair, who’d been heading over towards your table—there’s a moment, where everything seems to hang in the balance, her nearly falling, him nearly tripping—then he has an arm around her, steadying her, and she’s got him half-braced.

Bright Eyes blinks up at him, bewildered, befuddled, bemused. “E—Eridan?”

Wait, they _know_ each other?

 _“Fef.”_ Oh god, is that _longing_ in his voice?? Are they exes??

“Fef” blinks up at him again, then over at the two of you. “I—hi, sorry, I’m here about the apartment? Are you Aradia and Sollux?”

 

Eridan’s expression is definitely something straight out of Karkat’s romcoms. You’re not sure if that’s a good thing or not. “Wait—wait, you applied for that too?”

“Yeah, I—I told you I was trying to get out of the house, remember?” She bites down on her lip, and the two of them _very_ carefully extricate themselves from each other’s arms. “It seems like you guys are still in the middle of talking, though! I’ll come back later–”

“Hey, no, it’s fine, Fef, honest. Just finished up, I’ll, uh—I’ll be headin’ out now, yeah?” He gives her a smile (a _real_ one, oh god, that’s heart melting), and ruffles up his hair, a flustered sort of blush across his cheeks. “Text me when you get home safe?”

“Will do.” Bright Eyes, AKA Fef, AKA Feferi Peixes, _second_ applicant you’d planned on interviewing today, AKA _gorgeous on legs, Sollux stop drooling_ , gives him a little wave and turns her full focus on the two of you. “So–”

“Are you two dating slash have you ever dated slash did you break up and are you exes or no.” You’re not entirely sure Sollux stopped to breathe. You’re not entirely sure you would either.

You’re _still_ going to try and be the calm one, and you scoop Sollux’s hand up in your own, giving her a reassuring smile. She doesn’t even seem phased. “What Sollux _means_ to say is, would you see any problem with living with Mr. Ampora—er, Eridan?”

It’s _her_ turn to give you a reassuring smile. Possibly rather winning. Maybe even flirty. Megido, stop reading into this. “Oh, definitely not! We’re childhood friends, actually, I’ve known him since I was...well, since I can remember!”

Sollux nods, his expression thoughtful, and you nearly breathe a sigh of relief. Only the first day of interviews, and it seems like you have the perfect two prospects. “So you’re _aware_ of his massive crush on you?” Scratch that. You’re going to murder him and move in with these two hot childhood friends.

Feferi laughs it off—he’ll live another day—and waves it off as well. “Danny _definitely_ doesn’t have a crush on me. We’ve known each other for ages! It’s not like that for _either_ of us.”

You glance at Sollux. He glances at you. _Might have an easier time believing her if she didn’t look at the door to see if he was still here_.

  
  


The apartment’s blessedly quiet that night, the background hum of several people _existing_ just loud enough to keep your conversation private, the two of you tucked up under the covers to talk.

“If we take them both, the air’s going to be absolutely rife with sexual tension,” you warn your beloved boyfriend, who’s won your favor once more by brushing out your hair for half an hour.

“If we _don’t_ take them both,” he counters, “we miss our chance at—AA, listen, do you _really_ need me to spell this out for you?”

 

The four of you sign the lease together the next week. It’s going to be a _long_ year.

**Author's Note:**

> THIS JUST KIND OF HAPPENED I'M SORRY THEY NEVER ACTUALLY MOVED IN TOGETHER AND THAT FEFERI DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR A WHILE


End file.
